Tools for Montgomery County Guardians ad Litem, Therapists and Mediators

A co-parenting app and case tools you can recommend to the Montgomery County families you work with, whether you serve as a guardian ad litem, a therapist, or a mediator. Messaging between co-parents is free for both parents, and every message is time-stamped and tamper-evident.

Families in Montgomery County who end up in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Family Division rarely arrive at a mediation, a therapy session, or a home visit with their records in order. FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help platform built for those parents. Below is what it does for them, what it means for you as a guardian ad litem, therapist, or mediator, and what to know about family court in Montgomery County.

Area covered: Montgomery County.

Court for custody cases: Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Family Division.

Appointed for the child: Best interest attorney.

Custody mediation: Often ordered by the judge (child custody and visitation mediation).

Parenting coordinators: Appointed by court order.

Parenting class: Depends on the county or judge (parenting seminar).

State family law: Maryland Code Family Law.

Co-parent messaging (Free): One time-stamped, tamper-evident thread, free for both parents, with a Tone Meter that offers calmer rewrites.

Invite a professional into the conversation (Free): A parent can add a guardian ad litem or mediator to the co-parent conversation with a single-use link.

Parenting plan, built and shared (Free to build): Parents draft a parenting plan and can share it with you to read and comment on.

Verify a chat export (Free): Check that an exported message record (the JSON file) has not been changed. No account needed.

Court-Grade Journal (Paid plan): A dated, no-delete journal; a parent can send you a packet of chosen entries.

Expense Tracker (Paid plan): Shared child costs with receipts; a parent can give you a view-only look.

Parents can create an account and message their co-parent for free, with no credit card. Building a parenting plan is free; sharing, downloading, and printing it, and the tools marked as a paid plan, are part of a monthly plan a parent can start and stop.

For best interest attorneys and guardians ad litem in Montgomery County

In Maryland, the court can appoint a best interest attorney in a custody case. What the role involves is in the FAQ below.

On FamilyCourtHelp.com you see what a parent chooses to share. A parent can invite you into the co-parent conversation with a single-use link, which you accept with your own free account; from there you can read the thread, post in it, and review the shared calendar's requests and approvals. A parent can also share the parenting plan with you to read and comment on.

The invitation a parent sends is labeled Guardian ad Litem, the title most states use. It works the same if you serve as a best interest attorney in Montgomery County.

For therapists and counselors in Montgomery County

Court-involved and reunification therapists, co-parenting counselors, and custody evaluators in Montgomery County do not get an account view here, and that is deliberate: each parent keeps their own record and chooses what to bring you. The free messenger keeps the week's facts in one time-stamped thread, and its Tone Meter flags a heated message and suggests a calmer one before it is sent.

For mediators and parenting coordinators in Montgomery County

In Maryland, custody mediation is often ordered by the judge. Courts can appoint a parenting coordinator by order. The details are in the FAQ below.

Sessions in Montgomery County start further along when the draft is already on the table. Parents can share their parenting plan with you to read and comment on, and invite you into their conversation with a single-use link. Agreements then live in one time-stamped thread, and every schedule change is a request on the shared calendar that the other parent approves or declines.

Parenting coordinators can be added to a shared plan as a viewer who reads and comments.

Family court programs in Montgomery County

Custody cases in Montgomery County are heard in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Family Division. The court-connected programs below were checked against official sources.

Child Custody and Access Mediation Program: Parents with a custody or access case in the Montgomery County Circuit Court can use this court mediation program, held at Family Division Services.

Co-Parenting Program (Parent Education and Custody Effectiveness, or PEACE): The court's co-parenting class covers how separation affects children and how parents can communicate better and keep children out of adult conflict.

If you searched for a best interest attorney, a family therapist, or a custody mediator in Montgomery County, the court that has your case, the order in it, or your lawyer is the place to find who is appointed or approved. This site does not appoint professionals or refer you to one. What you can do here is come prepared: keep every message with your co-parent in one time-stamped thread, write down what happened with dates while it is fresh, and work on a parenting plan before the meeting.

Free help for parents in Montgomery County: the court help desks and legal aid offices below were checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

Montgomery: Montgomery Family Law Self Help Center, (240) 777-9145. Walk-in help at the courthouse with family law forms and questions, no lawyer needed.

Montgomery legal aid: Maryland Legal Aid, (888) 465-2468.

FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help platform, not a law firm and not a court, and nothing on this page is legal, clinical, or mediation advice. Court rules and local programs change, so confirm anything that matters for a case with the court, the order that appointed you, or the program itself.

Frequently asked questions

Where are custody cases heard in Montgomery County?

The Circuit Court for Montgomery County hears divorce and custody cases for the county. Its Family Division Services office offers co-parenting classes, mediation, custody evaluations and a family law self-help center.

Is there a court mediation program in Montgomery County?

Yes. Families with a case in the local court can use the Child Custody and Access Mediation Program. What it offers, and the official link, are in the family court programs section above.

Where can parents in Montgomery County get free help with a family court case?

Free court help for parents without a lawyer: Montgomery Family Law Self Help Center. Free legal aid: Maryland Legal Aid. Phone numbers and links are in the parents section above, checked link by link for the site's free pro se help directory.

How can parents prepare for custody mediation in Montgomery County?

Bring the family calendar, a draft parenting plan, a list of the issues still open, and a list of shared costs with receipts. Parents can put all of that together on FamilyCourtHelp.com before the first session. Families with a case in the local court can ask about the Child Custody and Access Mediation Program.

What does a best interest attorney do in a Montgomery County custody case?

In Maryland custody cases, the court may appoint a lawyer for the child, called child's counsel, and the order says whether that lawyer serves as a best interest attorney, a child's advocate attorney or a child's privilege attorney. A best interest attorney decides what arrangement is best for the child and also lets the court know what the child wants. You may also see "child's counsel", "child's advocate attorney" and "child's privilege attorney". The rule is in Md. Rule 9-205.1. This is general information, not legal advice; the order in the case controls.

Is custody mediation required in Maryland?

Early in a Maryland custody or visitation case, the court decides whether mediation is likely to help and a qualified mediator is available, and if so it orders the parents to mediate. The court may not order mediation when a parent or child raises a genuine issue of abuse in good faith.

Does Maryland use parenting coordinators?

A Maryland parenting coordinator is a neutral mental health or legal professional with mediation experience. The coordinator teaches parents about their children's needs, can help settle disputes, and checks that the parenting plan is being followed.

Do parents in Maryland have to take a parenting class?

Maryland circuit courts commonly order parents in custody and visitation cases to attend a parenting seminar under Maryland Rule 9-204. Each circuit court runs or chooses its own program.